Arson suspected in pair of Thursday night blazes in Antioch

Two fires in Antioch that burned several structures are being investigated as arson.

Two fires in Antioch that burned several structures are being...

Two separate fires that broke out Thursday night in Antioch and burned several residences and structures, including an old mortuary, are being investigated as arson and could be linked to other blazes earlier this week in the city, officials said Friday.

Firefighters received a call around 10 p.m. about a fire near 19 West Madill St. A fire crew racing to the scene spotted another structure blaze a few blocks away on the 1200 block of A Street, said Contra Costa County Fire Marshal Robert Marshall.

Other fire crews were called in for backup, and firefighters put out both blazes.

A total of four residences, most believed to be unoccupied, burned, as did several sheds and outbuildings, and the mortuary.

No one was injured.

“We believe the fires may have been set fires,” Marshall said. “We’re investigating them as arson fires.”

He said another possible cause being investigated it that the fires were started by homeless people trying to keep warm.

“It was very cold last night, so one of the things we’re looking at is whether these were warming fires” that got out of control and quickly spread, Marshall said.

Still, he said, “Based on the amount of time between the fires, we don’t think that’s likely. It would be extremely coincidental if these were two warming fires that had escaped.”

The fires came on the heels of other suspicious blazes in the area this week: Two fires happened late Sunday night and early Monday morning several hours apart, in the same general neighborhood. One occurred at a nearby florist’s shop and the other at a Methodist church. Investigators are also looking into whether arson was involved in those fires.